Newbattle Abbey College, Scotland's sole residential adult education college, whose core funding was axed by Government in 1989, will this year restore two full-time diploma courses.

Since 1989, the college has developed a wide range of short courses, and has rented residential and teaching accommodation to a number of education and training bodies including Heriot-Watt University and Lothian Region.

But it now plans to enrol up to 50 full-time students in 1995/96 for modularised diplomas in European studies and Scottish studies. Although Newbattle will not receive a recurrent grant from the Scottish Office Education Department, its students should qualify for student awards.

College principal Bill Conboy said: "Individual self-development is the main aim of Newbattle, but the standards set will be such as to enable those who successfully meet the diploma requirements to proceed to degree-level study." The diplomas have already been accepted as entrance qualifications by Aberdeen, Glasgow and St Andrews universities.

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"The adults we accept will not usually have educational qualifications," Mr Conboy said.

"We will be more interested in those with open minds, a sense of commitment and a willingness to work. Our task will be to see that they are provided with an environment which will enable them to complete a properly structured, systematic course of adult residential education."

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One full-time academic has been seconded from the Open University, while the rest of the teaching staff will be part time. Newbattle hopes to expand student numbers in 1996 through a third diploma in science and technology.